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katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Even better, I think, than Crossan's previous two that I've read. A story that hits you hard as soon as you realise what this is about.
Two girls, one body. Conjoined, or 'Siamese' twins Grace and Tippi are joined at the pelvis, living two lives as a pair. Their parents, having problems of their own, can no longer afford to school their teenage daughters at home. The girls must attend public school.
In free verse (no rhymes, just varied line lengths laid out freely over the pages), Crossan tells a coming-of-age story as the girls must face their peers, discover the opposite sex and cope with their dysfunctional family, as well as their own closeness.
Grace and Tippi are well-drawn to be two very different personalities. I really admired how Crossan writes their lives, and how they are treated by the world.
Their story takes a few turns I hadn't foreseen, and shows the effect of their genetic abnormality on more than just themselves - I really felt for their parents and sister, and tried to see myself befriending them at school - how would I have seen them? As two separate people, trapped together? I hope so.
Powerful, sad, and beautifully written. For more than just a teenage audience, though it would make an excellent discussion source in KS3/4 lessons.
Two girls, one body. Conjoined, or 'Siamese' twins Grace and Tippi are joined at the pelvis, living two lives as a pair. Their parents, having problems of their own, can no longer afford to school their teenage daughters at home. The girls must attend public school.
In free verse (no rhymes, just varied line lengths laid out freely over the pages), Crossan tells a coming-of-age story as the girls must face their peers, discover the opposite sex and cope with their dysfunctional family, as well as their own closeness.
Grace and Tippi are well-drawn to be two very different personalities. I really admired how Crossan writes their lives, and how they are treated by the world.
Their story takes a few turns I hadn't foreseen, and shows the effect of their genetic abnormality on more than just themselves - I really felt for their parents and sister, and tried to see myself befriending them at school - how would I have seen them? As two separate people, trapped together? I hope so.
Powerful, sad, and beautifully written. For more than just a teenage audience, though it would make an excellent discussion source in KS3/4 lessons.
fatimareadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
So, I read this book a while ago and wanted to write this review then, but unfortunately, I never had the chance to get around to it. So when I received a complimentary copy from Bloomsbury Publishing, it was practically fate! I reread the book again and wrote this review and it's just as amazing as the last time I read it.
From the moment I heard about the idea of One, I knew I had to read it. I've always been so intrigued about the psychological aspect of being conjoined twins and the emotions that come with it, which this book managed to portray VERY well. You have no idea how many emotions I went through as I read this book.
Added bonus: it's written in free verse! Usually, I find that books written in verse lack the ability to make me connect with the characters or the plot or the story in general. However, One managed to pull that off flawlessly! The writing style really made the pages go by. One sitting is all it took to devour this story.
This book is told from the POV of Grace, not Tippi. I didn't mind that it wasn't in dual POV because we still get to see both sides of the coin. Grace is the quiet, shy one and Tippi is the stubborn, outgoing one. They're so different, yet they're so in sync with each other -- it's beautiful! Sarah Crossan did a phenomenal job of providing insight into their lives; it's obvious a lot of meticulous research went into this.
The story explores a variety of different problems. One example is the daily struggle of being conjoined twins and the difficulty they face in fitting in with others. Another example is Grace and Tippi's dysfunctional family - they aren't the only ones with problems - and their struggle to manage the medical bills. I also found many underlying themes such as love, friendship, and family.
Also, can we talk about THAT ENDING. I can't say I didn't see it coming, but boy did I cry my eyes out. WHY IS LIFE SO CRUEL *sob*
So, in short, One is a very thought-provoking and insightful read into the lives of two girls bound together. The free verse writing style and the topic of the book itself makes for a very unique read. Grace & Tippi were such complex, flawed characters and their dynamic with their family and friends was just so well-written. The way this book addressed everything was extraordinary and I just- *hugs book*.
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From the moment I heard about the idea of One, I knew I had to read it. I've always been so intrigued about the psychological aspect of being conjoined twins and the emotions that come with it, which this book managed to portray VERY well. You have no idea how many emotions I went through as I read this book.
Added bonus: it's written in free verse! Usually, I find that books written in verse lack the ability to make me connect with the characters or the plot or the story in general. However, One managed to pull that off flawlessly! The writing style really made the pages go by. One sitting is all it took to devour this story.
This book is told from the POV of Grace, not Tippi. I didn't mind that it wasn't in dual POV because we still get to see both sides of the coin. Grace is the quiet, shy one and Tippi is the stubborn, outgoing one. They're so different, yet they're so in sync with each other -- it's beautiful! Sarah Crossan did a phenomenal job of providing insight into their lives; it's obvious a lot of meticulous research went into this.
The story explores a variety of different problems. One example is the daily struggle of being conjoined twins and the difficulty they face in fitting in with others. Another example is Grace and Tippi's dysfunctional family - they aren't the only ones with problems - and their struggle to manage the medical bills. I also found many underlying themes such as love, friendship, and family.
Also, can we talk about THAT ENDING. I can't say I didn't see it coming, but boy did I cry my eyes out. WHY IS LIFE SO CRUEL *sob*
So, in short, One is a very thought-provoking and insightful read into the lives of two girls bound together. The free verse writing style and the topic of the book itself makes for a very unique read. Grace & Tippi were such complex, flawed characters and their dynamic with their family and friends was just so well-written. The way this book addressed everything was extraordinary and I just- *hugs book*.
Follow me on my blog, Book Whizz | Bloglovin' | Twitter
readwithkiekie's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, my god.
I've never cried so much from reading a book, yet been so inspired either. I completely loved it! The characters were so fleshed out and relatable, their story was beautiful and I couldn't have wanted anything more from it.
I now have to go and read everything Sarah Crossan has written.
I've never cried so much from reading a book, yet been so inspired either. I completely loved it! The characters were so fleshed out and relatable, their story was beautiful and I couldn't have wanted anything more from it.
I now have to go and read everything Sarah Crossan has written.
soup_dogg's review against another edition
5.0
I’m actually shocked at how good this was. Also, really fucking sad. The ending, damn, what a tear-jerker. Would recommend. Good writing.
xabbeylongx's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Spoilers Ahead:
Wow. This book was absolutely stunning. A fantastic read, very very beautiful.
We follow Grace, who is one of the conjoined twins, joined at the hip with Tippi. They get told that they have to go to school, a public school, which is their idea of hell. Bu they go, and they meet Yasmeen and Jon.
Grace quickly falls for Jon, but because of her condition - and also the rule her sister made up - she can’t do anything about it. They have to go through school, and the stares and the name-calling, but at least they have new friends. But when their parents become jobless, they need to leave school - and they’ve already started enjoying it now!
The twins do something they’ve always vowed not to do, and they sell their lives away to make a documentary, which gets them the money they need to continue going to school. But, when they collapse and wake up in hospital, they know that not everything is okay.
Grace has a heart condition, and to live, they need to be separated. They don’t want this, but it’s their only chance at surviving. Grace’s chances of surviving are really low, anyway. She manages to get through the surgery, but when she wakes up, Tippi ins’t doing well. She hangs on to see Grace, who then tells her she can go, if she needs to, and Tippi passes away, having hung on enough to see Grace one last time (*sobs*). Grace promised Tippi that she would carry on for her, and that’s what she does.
I loved everything about this book. Even the spaces between the text, I loved that too. It all contributed to the book, making the gaps between words longer to help the pacing and create tension, and it worked so well. The characters were beautiful, very realistic from a teenage-girl sort of perspective, especially with the two different personalities of Tippi and Grace, and hearing about the reality of conjoined twins, both physically and mentally, was a really big eye-opener, to be honest. I liked being able to learn more about a world that I haven’t experienced. Sobbed when Tippi passed. Especially when Grace told her that she should ‘Go’… absolutely bawling. The whole of this book is just beautifully melancholic, and I love the relationship between the two twins. It’s a must-read!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Bullying, Child death, Eating disorder, Medical content, and Body shaming
carolyn0613's review against another edition
5.0
This is a super story - very sad and quite moving about the lives of conjoined twins Grace and Tippi. They are starting a new school, having been home schooled. Other changes in their family have brought this about and I felt for the whole family. I did not expect the ending. A beautiful story about two beautiful human beings
extrabees's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Picked it because it was the first novel on a YA Verse Novels recommendation list and I ended up crying.
ainay's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25